Art Hound

I am utterly transfixed by Jan Huling’s dolls on show at Lyons Wier Gallery. Huling’s work is part sculpture, part craft and references both traditional and modern, pop-culture iconography. The dolls have such real expressions, and the details and patterns are just exquisite. The result is an unexpectedly visceral experience. Huling’s solo show, Walking Under Ladders, opens Nov. 11th.

Huling’s three-dimensional works draw inspiration from her travels to India and Mexico, as well as imagined, playful scenes reminiscent of childhood fairy tales and fantasies. Huling’s work is approachable yet evocative, incorporating spiritual iconography alongside humorous artifacts of contemporary popular culture. The armatures for Huling’s sculptures are an unpredictable mix of forms ranging from Kewpie and Munny dolls to birds and tiny life-sized insects. – Lyons Wier Gallery

.

.